Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder observed primarily in young women. The neurobiology of the disorder is unknown but recently magnetic resonance imaging showed a volume reduction of the hippocampus in anorexic patients. Dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) is a murine model that mimics core featu...

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Main Authors: Daniel Reyes-Haro, Francisco Emmanuel Labrada-Moncada, Durairaj Ragu Varman, Janina Krüger, Teresa Morales, Ricardo Miledi, Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2016-01-01
Series:Neural Plasticity
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2426413
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author Daniel Reyes-Haro
Francisco Emmanuel Labrada-Moncada
Durairaj Ragu Varman
Janina Krüger
Teresa Morales
Ricardo Miledi
Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
author_facet Daniel Reyes-Haro
Francisco Emmanuel Labrada-Moncada
Durairaj Ragu Varman
Janina Krüger
Teresa Morales
Ricardo Miledi
Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
author_sort Daniel Reyes-Haro
collection DOAJ
description Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder observed primarily in young women. The neurobiology of the disorder is unknown but recently magnetic resonance imaging showed a volume reduction of the hippocampus in anorexic patients. Dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) is a murine model that mimics core features of this disorder, including severe weight loss due to voluntary reduction in food intake. The energy supply to the brain is mediated by astrocytes, but whether their density is compromised by anorexia is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate GFAP+ cell density in the main regions of the hippocampus (CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus) in the DIA model. Our results showed that GFAP+ cell density was significantly reduced (~20%) in all regions of the hippocampus, except in CA1. Interestingly, DIA significantly reduced the GFAP+ cells/nuclei ratio in CA2 (−23%) and dentate gyrus (−48%). The reduction of GFAP+ cell density was in agreement with a lower expression of GFAP protein. Additionally, anorexia increased the expression of the intermediate filaments vimentin and nestin. Accordingly, anorexia increased the number of reactive astrocytes in CA2 and dentate gyrus more than twofold. We conclude that anorexia reduces the hippocampal GFAP+ cell density and increases vimentin and nestin expression.
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spelling doaj-art-8a5db89e23634cd4bd47ccc91799fa1d2025-08-20T03:37:50ZengWileyNeural Plasticity2090-59041687-54432016-01-01201610.1155/2016/24264132426413Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat HippocampusDaniel Reyes-Haro0Francisco Emmanuel Labrada-Moncada1Durairaj Ragu Varman2Janina Krüger3Teresa Morales4Ricardo Miledi5Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres6Departamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoDepartamento de Neurobiología Celular y Molecular, Instituto de Neurobiología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Campus Juriquilla, Boulevard Universitario 3001, 76230 Juriquilla, QRO, MexicoAnorexia nervosa is an eating disorder observed primarily in young women. The neurobiology of the disorder is unknown but recently magnetic resonance imaging showed a volume reduction of the hippocampus in anorexic patients. Dehydration-induced anorexia (DIA) is a murine model that mimics core features of this disorder, including severe weight loss due to voluntary reduction in food intake. The energy supply to the brain is mediated by astrocytes, but whether their density is compromised by anorexia is unknown. Thus, the aim of this study was to estimate GFAP+ cell density in the main regions of the hippocampus (CA1, CA2, CA3, and dentate gyrus) in the DIA model. Our results showed that GFAP+ cell density was significantly reduced (~20%) in all regions of the hippocampus, except in CA1. Interestingly, DIA significantly reduced the GFAP+ cells/nuclei ratio in CA2 (−23%) and dentate gyrus (−48%). The reduction of GFAP+ cell density was in agreement with a lower expression of GFAP protein. Additionally, anorexia increased the expression of the intermediate filaments vimentin and nestin. Accordingly, anorexia increased the number of reactive astrocytes in CA2 and dentate gyrus more than twofold. We conclude that anorexia reduces the hippocampal GFAP+ cell density and increases vimentin and nestin expression.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2426413
spellingShingle Daniel Reyes-Haro
Francisco Emmanuel Labrada-Moncada
Durairaj Ragu Varman
Janina Krüger
Teresa Morales
Ricardo Miledi
Ataúlfo Martínez-Torres
Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
Neural Plasticity
title Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
title_full Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
title_fullStr Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
title_full_unstemmed Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
title_short Anorexia Reduces GFAP+ Cell Density in the Rat Hippocampus
title_sort anorexia reduces gfap cell density in the rat hippocampus
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2016/2426413
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